Join us to honor a legend!
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by the Navy’s Construction Battalion. But instead, he was assigned to the naval station at Dutch Harbor from 1944-45 and later to a naval airbase on Oahu, Hawaii, from 1945-46. He separated from the Navy in 1946 and took a job with Arctic Con - tractors, which had been awarded a long-term contract by the Director of the U.S. Naval Petroleum Reserves to explore for oil in Pet Four and adja - cent areas. Arctic Contractors had been orga- nized by a consortium hired to con- tinue the exploratory work in Pet Four initiated by the Seabees in 1944-45. Dalton was at Umiat from 1946- 47 as camp foreman, office engineer in Fairbanks from 1948-50 and from 1950-53 at Barrow as assistant then general superintendent. In September 1953, Arctic Contractors disbanded when the Navy suspended explorato - ry activities in Pet Four. Dalton’s duties during his tenure involved mainly logistics, including planning and management needed to undertake vast seismic and drilling programs within a 70,000-square- mile area of the Arctic, about half of which was outside Pet Four. His re - sponsibilities included: construction of base camps at Point Barrow and Umiat; ordering, receiving and stor- ing exploratory equipment; adapta - tion of conventional drilling equip- ment to Arctic conditions; developing surface transportation plans capable of delivering drilling equipment and supplies to field sites located as much as 400 miles from Barrow; construc - tion of foundations for deep test wells (pioneering work in the use of tim - ber and steel pilings in permafrost zones); and the organization and op- eration of air support for field work and movement of workers, freight and mail between base camps and field sites. When Arctic Contractors disband- ed, Jim was hired in 1953 as manager for the Alaska Development Boards’ Railbelt Office. In 1953-54, he wrote several reports and promotional pa- pers articulating the feasibility of
Following the Fairbanks Forum on Oct. 1, please join us at the Wedgewood Resort for a community reception honoring James Dalton and his induction into the Alaska Oil & Gas Historical Soci- ety Hall of Fame. This special reception from 4:30-6 p.m. will celebrate Dalton’s contributions to Alaska and his place in the history of our state’s oil and gas industry. Come raise a glass, connect with fellow Alaskans and help us recognize a new member of the AKOGHS Hall of Fame. Everyone is welcome. We hope to see you there!
Jim and wife Kathleen “Mike” Dalton.
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Jim and family celebrating George’s birthday in 1961.
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THE LINK: The Official Magazine of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance | FALL 2026
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